How does public radio make its special sound style? The quiet background sound?

Question

The people who talk on public radio and classical music stations always sound as if they are in a muffled, soundproof room or something. Is that how they do it?

Answer 1

You can achieve that sound with any properly sound insulated room with a low noise threshold of at least -40db which by the way is not an easy thing to accomplish.

And no their equipment is not low budget--not at all.

Answer 2

They just have low budget equipment. Also, the speakers on public radio are usually not as dynamic as those you would find on a regular music sataion.

Answer 3

Almost all stations use sound insulation in their booths to lessen noise from coming in...

It's called processing... Most commercial stations over power it to make a impact on the listener (by trying to compress it to it's limits), NPR and others don't . Also I find on how the air talent talks is maybe why NPR has the stigmata of being prissy for.

But depending upon the station, some public radio operates on commercial radio castoffs (as most of these stations started off on donations) but most have bought the same professional level equipement as commercial stations over the years with donations and it's just in how they use that equipment

Answer 4

sound proof room and no one is there